Fluid-motor.



T. T. WALKER.

y FLUID MOTOR.

APPLICATION FILED 1AN.I4, 1918.

,293,262. Patented Feb. 4,1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

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APPLCATION FILED 1AN.14, 1918.

Pafented Feb. 44, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

venor l UNITED STATES v1),.ATBIT FFCE- TIMOTHY rl-wALKER, or BUFFALO, New Yonex.

FLUID-Moron.

To all 'whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, TIMOTHY T. WALKER, a citizen of the United States, residing in Buffalo, vin the countyof Erie and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Fluid-Motors," of which the following'is a specification. l

This invention relates to a fluid motor which is adapted to utilize the power of running streams or wind currents, and it has for its object to accomplish this purpose by means which are simple and comparatively inexpensive in construction, which will operate eiiciently under all kinds of weather conditions and yield `a maximum amount of power Yfor a given size of motor, andwhich has its working parts readily accessible for inspection, adjustment or repairs andl also capable of being easily stopped and started.

uIn the accompanying drawings: s

Figure 1 is a perspective view, partly broken away, of a fluid motor embodying one form of my improvements. Fig. 24 is a vertical transverse sectionof the same.Y Fig. 3 is a horizontal section ofthe same taken on line 3 3, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 isa' fragmentary sectional perspective"V view, showing a slightly different form"V of paddle compared withl that shown in Figs. .1-3. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical section showing a .modified form of the means for limiting the inward movementiofthese` paddles relative to the `rotary support. Figi V6y is a horizontal section taken on line `6-'6, Fig. 5.v I

frame comprises amhori'zontal upper Vplate 1,

a horizontal lower plateQ, 4and upright bars '3v connected at their( extremities with. these plates. [Arranged betweentheseupper and lower plates and on one sidelof the center thereof is a rotary support or axlewhich turns about an axis which vertical or .perpendi'cular lto the `upper and lower frame plates. In its preferred form:` this rotary support :comprises upper and'lower rotatable heads 4, 5, aplurality oflongitudinal supporting rods 6 arranged vertically in an annular row around 'the axis ofthe support and each connected at its upper fand lower ends with the upper Iand lower heads, and a Similar' charactersof referencerefer to Specication of Letters Patent. Patented Feb. 4:, 1919. Application led January 14, 14918.I Serial No. 211,741.t i

plurality of antifriction rollers or sleeves 7 Y porting head anda ball race 14 which isse `cured to the underside of the upper frame plate, as clearly shown in Fig. 2; Motion may be transmitted'lfrom Athis axle.V or rotary support to theparts which are to be operated-in any suitable manner, for instance, by'

meansfofan upright shaft l5 journaledj in a Vbearlngformed in the Yupper ballrace 14 'fand connected at its lower end'with Athe hub ofthe uppersupporting head, and a ypulley 16 secured to the upper endof this shaftand adapted to receive a transmitting belt which carries thev power totheparts which are to bedriven., f 1

F17 represents a plurality of paddles, blades, "buckets or wings, which are arranged in an annular row around the axle or rotary suprp'orta'ndeach of whichV maybe constructed of any suitable shape and material, although the` sameispreferably constructed of sheet metal and bent horizontally `so as to' present a. concave'surface to the pressureof the fluid lwhich is adapted'tooperate on the 'same and turn the wheel, asjshown in Figs. 1.-:3." If desired, however, these blades maybe made perfectly fiat or even, as shown atj 1'8`1in` Figeac. 'l

" `Theseseveral paddlesiare adapted to operate in pairs, the members l-ofeach pair being arranged jon diametrically'iopposite 'sides of the Q axle or` rotary .su`}": p' ')rtr and each pair being so connected and Ymounted upon the 1'axle 'thatl each *paddle when. returning or "i moving backwardlyo'n the inoperative side of theqwheel lis lmoved inwardly ortoward f 'theA axle "so as to' shorten the l'everageof the 5 same, while the companion blade which at the pressure of the fluid which is operating on the respective paddle at this time will most effectively exert its pressure and turn the wheel as a whole with maximum eiliciency. Various means may be employed for thus connecting each pair of paddles, those shown in the drawings being suitable and =preferredand consisting of a cross ypiece or frame which preferably comprises upper and lower cross bars 19 each of which extends horizontally through a pair of upright slots pieces which are associated with the different pairs of paddles are arranged in different planes or levels relatively to each other, so that the cross bars of one pair of paddles clear those of other paddles, as shown in Fig. 2, thereby permitting a plurality ofy such cross bars to be employed without interfering with each other.

By thus mounting the paddles on the axle, the Asame are free to adapt themselves both laterally and lengthwise into the dierent positions into which they may be shifted while under the pressure of the water or wind from which the power is derived and thereby causing this shifting of these parts to be effected with a minimum of friction or resistance and enables a maximum yield of power to be` obtained.

Owing to the scoop-shaped form of the paddles, the pressure of the water on the concave sides thereof naturally tends to pull out Ithe paddles from the axle and increase the 'leverage of the same on the operative side of the wheel, while the action of the pressure Huid againstthe convex side of these paddles on the return or inoperative side of the wheel tends to push the same inwardly. This movement of the paddles is however aided and made certain by means of a curved guide 21 which is arranged on the rear part of the main frame eccentrically with referenceto the axis of the rotary support or axle, as shown in Fig. 3, so that as each paddle sweeps across the rear side of the wheel from the operative to the inoperative portion thereof, the outer part of each .paddle engages this eccentric guide and is gradually pushed inwardly relatively tothe axle and causes its companion paddle on the opposite side of the axle to be projected to a greater extent therefrom for increasing its leverage when brought within the influence of the moving stream of water or air. In

order to avoid undue frictional contact between these blades and this eccentric guide,

each of these paddles is preferably proV vided at its outer edge with an anti-friction roller 22 which engages with this eccentric guide, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 11. If desired, however, this anti-friction roller may be omitted and the outer edge of each blade or paddle may engage directly with Y the lower frame plate as shown in Figs. 1-3.

In order to prevent the pressure of the water or air against the paddles on the operative or advancing side of the wheel from drawing these paddles out too far, means are provided for limiting the lateral movement of each cross piece with reference to the axle. As shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, these means comprise upright stops 26 which are preferably constructed in the form of bars 4connected at their upper and lower ends to the horizontal cross bars 19 adjacent to the inner sides of the respective upright bars 20. As each cross piece is moved laterally in the axle from the return or inoperative side of the wheel toward the advancing or operative side of the same, the stop bar 26 on the inoperative side of the wheelengages with an upright roller 7 of the axle on the corresponding side of the wheel, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, thereby limiting the movement of the respective cross piece in this direction so that the outer edge of the paddle on the operative side of the wheel will be in the proper position to engage with the eccentric guide 23 preparatory to reversing theV position of the respective blades or paddles and the cross4 piece connecting the same. In lieu of the stop barsv26 the same result may be obtained by providing the axle with. a circular stop-disk 27 between its upper and lower ends which disk is adapted to be engaged by the inner edges of the paddles on the inoperative or return side of the wheel, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, and

`thereby prevent undue extension of the operative side of the wheel so as to cover the paddles on this side of the wheel a sufficient extent to prevent any effective pressure of the fluid against the same thereby enabling the pressure of the Huid against the paddles on the operative side of the wheel to rotate the wheel with maximum eiciency.

When it is desired to stop the wheel, this may be done by cutting off the pressure of the fluid to a sufficient extent from the oper` ative side of the wheel and this may be practically eiected `by means of a verticallymovable gate or shutter 29 which is guided in ways 30, 3l on the front part of the frame. When in use this gate practically forms an extension of the front edge of the hood or shield 28 toward the operative side of the wheel. When this gate is Withdrawn, the pressure of the water or wind is permitted to exert itself upon the paddles the instant the same move from the inoperative to the operative side of the wheel, but when the gate is lowered across the front side of the path of the paddles then a sufficient amount of the water or Wind pressure is cut oil from the operative side of the wheel Vto cause the same to come to a standstill.

Taken as a whole, this iuid motor is very simple in construction and can be produced at comparatively low cost, it has no delicate or complicated parts which are likely to get out of order when meeting with obstructions, and all of its several parts are readily accessible for adjustment, inspection and repairs, thereby permitting wind pressure or the pressure of flowing streams to be utilized to advantage for generating.. power at a minimum of cost.

I claim as my invention:

l. A fluid motor comprising a rotary support having transverse heads and a plurality of longitudinal rods arranged in an annular row and connecting said heads, a plurality of pairs of paddles arranged in an annular row around said support, the members of each pair being arranged on diametrically opposite sides of said support, a pluralityl of cross pieces each of which is guided between some of said rods and is connected at its opposite ends with a pair of said'paddles, and a guide arranged eccentrically relatively to said support on the return side of the wheel and adapted to shift said paddles successively toward said support.

2. A liuid motor comprising a rotary support having transverse heads and a plurality of longitudinal rods arranged in an annular row and connecting said heads, a plurality of pairs of paddles arranged in an annular row around said support, the members of each pair being arranged on diametrically opposite sides of said support, a plurality of cross pieces each of which is guided between some of said rods and is connected at its opposite ends with a pair of said paddles, a guide arranged eccentrically relatively to said support on the return side of the wheel,

Vand shifting rollers arranged on the outer edges of each paddle and adapted to engage said guide for moving the respective paddle toward said support.

TIMOTHY T. WALKER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

